Only coastal homes would need to worry about real shutters on the windows or being hurricane proof. Those of us in the US that are blessed enough to live in mountainous areas don't need to worry about such things.

Still, you can't paint the entire country with such broad generalizations. I find it fascinating the different building techniques in places such as Hilton Head Island, where they have actual shutters and houses built on stilts to protect them in the event of typhoons, etc. The US is a much newer country compared to many mentioned above, stone building was more more commonplace a few hundred years ago before America was settled.

Yeah, i've lived in several different regions in the U.S and they all have different styles of houses. a lot of the west coast houses aren't like southern houses and some southern houses aren't like some northern houses, they have similarities though

Only coastal homes would need to worry about real shutters on the windows or being hurricane proof. Those of us in the US that are blessed enough to live in mountainous areas don't need to worry about such things.

Still, you can't paint the entire country with such broad generalizations. I find it fascinating the different building techniques in places such as Hilton Head Island, where they have actual shutters and houses built on stilts to protect them in the event of typhoons, etc. The US is a much newer country compared to many mentioned above, stone building was more more commonplace a few hundred years ago before America was settled.

That doesn't change the building code/quality differences, hurricane proof houses where just used as an example.

Here in Los Angeles, asphalting is SLOWLY getting fixed. We used to be the state of cruising, now we are full of fruits who enjoy bikes and Priuses causing traffic and deaths I HATE IT! I see Germans driving on dashcams and man when you crank 150+ km/h they move aside unlike here where stupid idiots cut you off on purpose. I'd LOVE to move out in a heartbeat and make a living in Munich seeing how beautiful the landscape and everything is. Good luck with messed up suspensions unless you have a pickup or a high-risen vehicle in 80% of California, the interstates are wrecked and unmaintained unless you go towards Anaheim/Santa Ana.

Here in Los Angeles, asphalting is SLOWLY getting fixed. We used to be the state of cruising, now we are full of fruits who enjoy bikes and Priuses causing traffic and deaths I HATE IT! I see Germans driving on dashcams and man when you crank 150+ km/h they move aside unlike here where stupid idiots cut you off on purpose. I'd LOVE to move out in a heartbeat and make a living in Munich seeing how beautiful the landscape and everything is. Good luck with messed up suspensions unless you have a pickup or a high-risen vehicle in 80% of California, the interstates are wrecked and unmaintained unless you go towards Anaheim/Santa Ana.

CA roads are some of the worst, go north and into the Sierra Nevada mountains ugh those winding roads are full of pot holes.

That doesn't change the building code/quality differences, hurricane proof houses where just used as an example.

I have to say I don't believe you really know much about the building codes in the US. The codes vary at the state, county and local levels The codes are often based on the weather and/or geographical conditions in a particular area. Most of the major municipalities in the US have adopted the International Building Code with the appropriate changes for their area. California has some very strict codes in regards to earthquakes and energy conservation (Title 24), areas with heavy snowfall must take into account snow loads on roofs and the supporting structures, these are only a couple examples. Uniform Building Code (UBC), Standard Building Code (SBC), The Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA) International, are just a few of the codes that are used. When they say "they don't build them like they used to," I, for one, am very glad they don't. Wood frame construction became the norm in the US because of an incredible abundance of timber from coast to coast.

In an earthquake I would rather be in a properly constructed wood frame structure over any brick/stone and mortar building.

It is rich. Stone, tile roofs, brick are way way more expensive than timber houses and shingled roof. Concrete side walks are also way way cheaper than stone side walks. It why the USA uses these materials becaues the others are to dam expensive. I used to work in this industry.

It's not 'Rich'. We have an abundance of these materials so it's economical to build with them. The entire world isn't the same.

Hello,Stone roads? Do you know how much that ****s up your tires after years and years and years of going thru unenven roads made in stone?Trust me, we have them here and it hurts me every time I drive on them :(Concrete roads FTW. I don't care if they don't look pretty: They reduce wear and tear on the car which does affect me directly.

Ashpalt is better for wear and tear than concrete actually though, why some roads use concrete on high speed curves, better grips but harder on the rubber,

Well, I've always wondered why most houses in America are built with wood instead of brick/cement, especially in areas prone to weather phenomena like tornados and hurricanes. You'd think that it would fare better than a wooden house.

it is always good to think of it like this. You get what you pay for. if you live in an area where the taxes are higher but they actually use the money to put back into the community either in the way of better roads and side walks, or just taking care of the place, they you are getting a better investment for your money. Here were i live there is a village just outside of the town i live in that has a much hiring tax rate than the town i live in, however, they have beautiful brick roads, and side walks, everything is meticulously maintained, and its a happier safer, better looking community. But where I live the taxes are cheap and they didnt even plow the roads this morning and we had 4in of snow.